To read his reviews he's the next Buddy. So why did he go so late? There must be something. Maybe he's hopeless with body on body contests? Another Griffs big guy big kick big mark just not in a pack.

Have you seen the highlights on the RFC website? Couple of your concerns are addressed there. Takes a few contested marks, one body on body effort. I know it is only underage footy, but he does do those types of things.

The big knock on him at the moment is that he has poor endurance. But the main reason I think he slid to us is that I think clubs were very wary of drafting ruckman/forward type players, takes Hayes for instance.

I don't think Miller will be a superstar, but he is athletic enough (great agility) to be a good role player/backup in our team.

Determined – Travelled to Perth from Kalgoorlie on a weekly basis to play football

Explosive Athlete – Ranked elite in the Goalkicking test, the Agility test and the 20m sprint

Round 1 Starter – Played senior football since the age of 15, holding him in good stead

AFL U18 CHAMPIONSHIPS STATISTICS

2017 WAFL COLTS STATISTICS

ABOUT

The budding Kalgoorlie star is one of the most explosive key position prospects in this year’s AFL Draft.

He started playing senior football at the age of 15 for his Kalgoorlie team, Railways FC – a club that has produced many outstanding football players, including Dean Kemp, Steve Marsh and Jim Gosnell.

He first came across recruiters’ minds when he was selected in the WA State U16s Academy in 2015. He further enhanced his reputation when he made his debut for the Subiaco Colts in round one of the 2016 season, against Peel Thunder, when he won a game-high 19 possessions. He played a further three games for the Lions and averaged 18 hit-outs, including a dominant 36-hitout performance against East Perth in round 11.

But 2017 was when he left his mark on recruiters’ minds. By the first six rounds of the competition, Miller was sitting fourth in the WAFL Colts Coaches Award after dominant outings against Perth in round 2 (16 possessions, 30 hit-outs, 4 marks, 4 tackles, 2 inside 50s and a goal), West Perth in round 3 (11 possessions, 29 hit-outs, 2 tackles, 2 inside 50s and a goal), and Claremont in round 6 (17 possessions, 17 hit-outs, 4 marks, 3 inside 50s, 2 tackles and 2 goals).

Because of his sublime performances, he was selected in the WA U18s State Academy and he did not disappoint. In the four games, he won the most hit-outs for WA (72), laid the fourth most tackles (16), won the fifth most clearances (8 ), ranked seventh for contested possessions (22), and was in the top twelve for total possessions (42).

His best game came against Vic Metro in round two, when he accumulated 15 possessions (seven contested), won a game-high 28 hit-outs, laid five tackles, won three clearances and kicked a goal. His direct opponents Tristan Xerri and Sam Hayes could only register 26 possessions, 25 hit-outs and a goal between them, such was their inability to negate Miller’s influence.

He also produced solid outings against the Allies (11 possessions – eight contested – 12 hit-outs, five tackles, four inside 50s, three marks, and three clearances), and Vic Country (12 possessions, 18 hit-outs, four tackles, three marks and two clearances).

In his comeback game for the Subiaco Colts in Naidoc Round, he was clearly best afield against Perth with 18 possessions, 44 hit-outs, seven marks, three inside 50s, two tackles and a goal.

He only played another two games for the Lions, against Swan Districts in round 20 (13 possessions and five marks – playing as a key defender) and East Perth in round 23 (16 possessions, 20 hit-outs, two marks, two inside 50s and a goal), as he had to juggle his school commitments back home in Kalgoorlie.

For a player of 196 centimetres, Miller is explosive, agile, clean and consistent – traits that make him such a tantalising prospect.

At the AFL National Combine, he came first in the Goalkicking test (30/30), the Agility test (8.10 seconds), and came third in the 20-metre sprint (2.91 seconds).

At this year’s AFL National U18 Championships, Miller recorded 72 hit-outs, the third most by any ruckman in the competition, just behind Allies’ Brayden Crossley (83 hit-outs), and South Australia’s Callum Coleman-Jones (78). While he only played nine games in the WAFL Colts, he recorded the ninth most hit-outs (192 at an average of 21 per game), largely due to his imposing nature.

Miller has also been playing senior football since the age of 15 for his Kalgoorlie team, Railways FC, hence he is ready to match it with the ruckmen in the AFL from round one.

THE QUESTION MARKS?

His big question mark is his size. He only stands at 196 centimetres, while most true ruckmen at AFL level are over 200cm. To combat this, Miller has some awesome athletic traits. He has also demonstrated his versatility by playing as a key forward, and as a key defender for Subiaco throughout 2017.

THE WRAP

For any clubs looking out for a key position prospect, and it would be hard to imagine any clubs that aren’t Miller is well worth looking at.

Because he has been playing senior football since the age of 15, Miller could slot into a club’s best 22 after a strong pre-season such is his maturity, ability and determination.

For his size, he boasts explosive athleticism and beautiful skills, making him a tantalising prospect at this year’s Draft.

Teenage draft prospect Ben Miller hopes the rough-and-tumble nature of senior country football has given him a solid grounding for the step up to AFL level, if he is selected in next month’s national draft.

Miller split his time between the ruck and forward line during four games for WA at this year’s national under-18 championships, impressing scouts with his consistency, agility and clean hands.

The product of Subiaco’s country zone, originally from Kalgoorlie club Railways, also attracted attention with his imposing figure.

Miller put a strong case to talent scouts at the national draft combine in Melbourne this week as one of just four players to produce an unblemished score of 30 out of 30 in the goal-kicking test.

South Australian Jordan Houlahan and Victorian duo Angus Schumacher and Jackson Ross were the others.

It’s been a case of planes, trains and automobiles for Kalgoorlie teenager Ben Miller this season, as he’s successfully juggled his Year 12 commitments in his hometown with playing footy in Perth.

The talented key position prospect has lost count of the number of times he’s travelled to Perth for training sessions and games, as he combined playing for the Subiaco colts and WA’s under-18 team with league footy in the Goldfields for Railways.

All the effort will be worth it if Miller realises his dream of being drafted into the AFL in either Friday’s national draft or the rookie draft to follow.

Unsure how the footy season would pan out, the 18-year-old opted to remain at school in Kalgoorlie rather than move to Perth.

He ended up spending a six-week stint in the city as he impressed, playing every game for WA in the under-18 championships before earning an invitation to the national draft combine.

Subiaco Football Club became a temporary classroom for the versatile tall during the middle part of the season.

“The option was there to move down to Perth, but I felt like I’m already half-way through my schooling, I may as well stick out the other half and not just put half of it to waste,” Miller said.

“They just sent through everything I needed via a school app and I just sat in the Subiaco office with one of the development coaches in there, Michael Farmer. I did schoolwork throughout the day and then trained in the afternoon.”

Miller was thrilled with what he has achieved this season to jump on to the draft radar but said he wasn’t putting any pressure on himself. “To be honest I’m probably pretty chilled out about it. But as the day gets closer, I’ll probably get a bit more nervous,” he said.

“You obviously don’t want to get ahead of yourself.”

The athletic big man shone at last month’s draft combine, excelling in the agility test, the 20m sprint and the goal-kicking test.

Miller has spent much of his time rucking, but at 196cm looms as a key position option at either end of the ground at the next level.

“I’d like to think I’m still growing. It’s probably not the biggest size to be a ruckman at AFL level but I’m pretty comfortable with the size I’m at now,” he said.

Ben Miller has the attributes to be a Full Forward. He is quick, big size for a full forward, and big enough weight wise. Runs well,from the highlights he's a good lead to mark player, he runs at the footy with intent and is also a good contested mark. I havereally high hopes for him.

Looking at our draft and placing specific positions on players, Miller for a Full Forward spot, which would mean Jack Riewoldt couldhold down CHF and continue to roam around like he already does, Noah Balta to be developed as Key Defender, Callum Coleman-Jonesto be developed as Ruck/Forward, Naish and Higgins well they will find themselves hanging around as midfielders and wings etc.If Miller comes good for us it would be the best result for us. We need a key forward to takeover from Jack at some point.

tony_montana

Reading the reviews and watching the highlights, there has to be a catch as to why he went so low? The only blemish they say is he is small for a ruckman in the afl, but there is conjecture that he is in fact 200cm now? Regardless he looks an exciting prospect, he bloody looks like a jet midfielder bursting away from packs in those highlights